Firestone Complete Auto Care This company has given me poor service for a 2nd time! Ripoff Jacksonville Florida

I understand that would require another tow bill, but why keep dealing with them if you are unhappy.

I think it all depends on exactly what happened in this situation. Really your story doesn't include enough information to figure who is right. You have only provided parts of your story, and have not provided information at all regarding what they told you about the needed repairs, the results of the diagnosis, and how they have responded to you.

What were the minimal repairs that you agreed to have done? What were the repairs quoted that you did not agree to? Without knowing what they told you, again no one can really help you.

If you brought it in because it wouldn't start and they gave you a list of the repairs needed and the quote, it seems that would be what it needs to start. You say you did the minimal repairs, but minimal for what problems? Did they tell you that those repairs were the only ones needed to get your vehicle started and the others could wait until later, or did they tell you that they can hope for the best with the least amount of repairs you would approve at the time?

Unfortuantly it seems that the full amount of repairs were needed to get your vehicle running, and since you were unable to do those, they did the best they could. You could save up more money and do the rest. I do however feel that you shouldn't have to pay another diagnostic fee, and I am a little confused to why they say you would need one again. If it is not starting, and you need the other repairs which were recommended before, they shouldn't have to do anymore diagnosis. So is there another problem they may have told you about? Basically, did you ask them why they want to do more diagnosis, and what it was for exactly? Well you said you asked, but you didn't give thier reply, and that obviously would be important to know.
I can think of no reason they would want to charge more fees if it were the same problem and those additional repairs were needed.

I've seen customers come in before with all kinds of problems, we tell them what is needed and most people don't want to put that much money into thier vehicle. We have had a few cases where they want to do the least amount of work and we always tell them that there are no guarantees that this will get your vehicle running properly, we know what is deffinatly going to be needed, and if they decline those services, it will not run right.

Sometimes, too, other repairs are needed before the actual problem can be figured out. Sometimes the car is running so poorly, that a tuneup is needed to get it running like it should be before we can continue diagnosis. Could that have been the case here? That the minimal repairs that you agreed to do were needed for them to properly diagnosis the no start issue?

As for your rights have you looked online at your states consumer affairs department? That is usually who regulates the automotive repair in each of the states. California is the BAR, part of the consumer affairs, and I have seen in other states it is the attorney general or even the agriculture department. So why don't you look there first and do some research on your rights as a consumer, regarding auto repair. You should also find a complaint form and since you know your situation best, after looking into your rights you should know pretty well who is in the right and wrong as far as the laws in your state go.

"I was called later the same day with an estimate of $895 in repairs"

"rep advised me and my father that they could do the minimal repairs for $391. I agreed and picked up my car Monday afternoon"

>OK. So, you felt the car was not worth the money to do the PROPER repairs so you agreed to have them do a half-assed repair just to get you going. If the car was not worth the $900, how was it worth half the amount? Why not just save that money and go buy something else?

"and the car was never repaired properly"

>Again, see above.

"Can you please advise me of my rights in this matter?"

>You had the right to 1) agree to have the unit repaired properly the first time, 2) have the unit towed elsewhere for another estimate and possible repair, 3) not do anything to the vehicle and look for a replacement, 4) only agree to a repair that would just get you going while not being repaired properly.

You excercised right #4.